


Professionalism

by Kittywitch



Category: Tinman, Tinman (2007)
Genre: M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 22:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3626451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittywitch/pseuds/Kittywitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the scene where Glitch patches up Cain in de Milo's truck and stays with him to keep him warm, Glitch decides now is the perfect time to talk about Cain's latent homosexuality.<br/>My only excuse is that this was written in 2011.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Professionalism

Cain's hand slipped down his chest, and his eyes closed further. He was safe, for now. Glitch, at least, had survived. The best he could do now was sleep until he was strong enough to do something else. Then, find his family. Then, kill Zero. A lot.

            "You know Cain, professional psychiatric therapy is only a crow's call away these days." Cain was only vaguely aware of his companion speaking.

            "I think a man like you with your issues with masculinity... and, well, we call it the 'boy scout syndrome'-"

 

            Cain forced an eye open.

            "What do you mean, 'issues with masculinity'?" he groaned hoarsely. Glitch looked around the truck thoughtfully, then leaned forward.

            "Well, here. Here's an example." The pale man moved forward on his knees and leaned over Cain. The tinman considered drawing his gun again but wanted to see where Glitch was going with this.

He cocked his head like a bird, currently too close to Cain for his features to be clearly seen. There was a vague impression of a dark blotch near his eyes that were probably Glitch's. They weren't moving alot, so Glitch wasn't blinking. Despite the closeness, when Glitch spoke, his voice was impassive and analytical.

            "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

            "I'd have said confused... and a little frustrated."

            "And if I kissed you now, how would you feel?"

            "What?"

 

            Glitch drew back to his end of the cabin with a thoughtful and concerned expression. Cain could also describe his own emotions as thoughtful and concerned; but they were more concerned about the way this conversation was heading than his mental health.

            "Would you feel threatened?"

            "Well, does confusion, being disturbed on a personal level, wondering about what happened while I was unconscious and wishing I had the strength to hurt you count as threatened?"

            "That's exactly what I'm talking about." Glitch said with a nod. He turned back to the stove. "You've got so much of your personal identity tied up in being the tough guy, you just can't deal with being the submissive individual in a situation."

            " 'm not." Cain muttered. If Glitch was going to be guessing that wrong, Cain wasn't going to correct him.

 

            "Needing someone to rescue _you_ for once... it totally rattles you. It makes you not only vulnerable, but close to someone. And you really don't like that." Glitch cocked his head. "It's like cutting yourself and leaving it open for infection."

            Cain groaned softly. That was al ot closer. The idea of owing his life to someone did bring about a closeness Cain didn't want to deal with, especially not with someone like Glitch.

But then again, as he said, someone needed to keep Glitch's wide-eyed optimism in check. There was no point in complaining now that it had fallen to him.

            "Yeah." Cain groaned. "So stop ripping the wound open." He wasn't sure why he said that. It was good banter, but he didn't want to banter right now. He wanted to sleep. He could leave Glitch blithering on with himself and just sleep. He should have. He didn't know why he kept talking. But he was about to do it some more.

 

            "And let me lie here, slowly dying and worrying about what you did while I was asleep in peace."

            "You're not going to die." Glitch said somewhat more sharply than Cain expected. He got quiet again. "Not after all the trouble I went through saving you. We've still got to find Raw and Deegee, and you know I can't do that by myself." He settled himself against the opposite wall.

            "You just said so yourself. Someone has to keep me in check."

            "Just that optimism. It's annoying as hell."

            "Trust me, you aren't a joy to keep around either, sweetheart." Glitch snapped. Cain laughed quietly. It sort of hurt to do so.

            "Guess that means we're stuck with each other." he said quietly, not opening his eyes. "No one else can stand us." Glitch smiled at the tinman and shook his head.

 

            "Anyway, all I did while you were unconscious was bring you here and get you in some dry clothes."

            "Where did you get the clothes?"

            "They were in here."

            "Why is it that wearing de Milo's clothes is so much more disturbing than having a strange man undress me while I was passed out?"

            "Dunno. Maybe because you know de Milo." Glitch scratched his ear. "And me. I think I'm a lot less threatening than he is."

            "Let's get this straight, headcase. I _don't_ know you. I don't know what you did to get your head ripped open, even if you did work for the queen. I don't know what do did for her and I... don't..." he dropped his head back onto his pillow. "...find you threatening." The inventor shook his head and smiled at his dozing companion. His fingers were tight around the toy horse that stopped a bullet, his eyes had closed again and his lips were parted. It was strange to see a man as gruff and cold as Cain in such a vulnerable state. And at the same time, strangely endearing.

            "Y'know, actually kissing you just then? Kinda tempting."

            "I've got to tell you Glitch, you've got a great bedside manner but your professionalism leaves something to be desired."


End file.
